Photographs: John Barry; Michael Barry; William and Tommy Barry; John Barry memorial scroll; Michael Barry memorial scroll; Princess Mary gift box, Christmas 1914 (William’s); Discharge papers, William Barry; || John, Michael and William Barry were my great-uncles, my grandmother Mary Barry Whelan’s brothers. Their parents were John and Bridget Barry of Neamstown, Kilmore Quay, Wexford, Ireland. My great uncle, John Barry was born on 30 November 1888 and joined the Royal Dublin Fusiliers in January 1915. His service number was 17986. He was killed in action in the Balkans on 7 December 1915, aged 26. His name is inscribed on the Doiran memorial in Greece. My grandmother, Mary Barry Whelan kept a diary of all the events related to her brothers and kept their scrolls and photos on the wall of her hallway. They were the first things you saw when you went through the door. Michael Barry was born in June 1890 and joined the Welsh Regiment on 20 July 1916. He was killed in Cambrin in France on 23 July 1918 at 10:25 pm. Michael had arrived in France on Christmas Day 1916. He and some other Wexford men are remembered on a plaque in Maesteg church about five miles from Bridgend in Wales. William was born on 22 May 1896. He walked from Kilmore to Wexford town on 17 May 1917 to join the Royal Irish Regiment, service number 157749. He served in the Machine Gun Corps and was seriously wounded on 23 March 1918 in France. He was discharged in 1919 as no longer physically fit for war service. He was permanently disabled and bedridden and my grandmother looked after him and spent much of her time going up and down to him. He died in Nemestown about nine years late and is buried in Grange cemetery there. Unfortunately for the family the remaining brother Tommy died young also in 1926, so that was all the Barry sons deceased in the space of ten years. From 1911 to 1927, Bridget Barry, my great-grandmother lost her four sons, her husband and one daughter. Three girls remained and they married and lived to old age. My grandmother, Mary Barry always kept their memory alive. She married Myles Whelan who enlisted in the Royal Munster Fusiliers in 1916 and was discharged in 1918. || || Balkans || Remembrance || John Barry || John Barry, Royal Dublin Fusiliers || Photograph || || Photograph || Michael Barry || Remembrance || Michael Barry, Welsh Regiment || Western Front || || Remembrance || William and Tommy Barry || Western Front || Photograph || || John Barry || Remembrance || Official document || John Barry memorial scroll || || Michael Barry memorial scroll || Remembrance || Michael Barry || Official document || || Princess Mary brass gift box, Christmas 1914 || William Barry's Princess Mary brass gift box, Christmas 1914 || Other || Remembrance

Letter from Earl of Lucan, confirming Peter Whelan's death; British War Medal; Victory Medal; Death plaque; || My uncle Peter Whelan lived at 38 Parnell Street, Wexford. He was the son of James Whelan, a railway guard and his wife Mary Anne. I believe he had a twin sister, my aunt Kate. He was a member of the 2nd Battalion, Irish Guards. He was killed at Ginchy, France on 22 September 1916 at the age of 22. I don't know how long he had been in France but I have an impression that he did not survive very long there. A letter from the Earl of Lucan (signed Horace Nelson) to Peter's parents states that they have information from a stretcher bearer, Pte. W Jebby, that he had observed Peter Whelan in the battle having been hit by shrapnel in the stomach on 15 September at Ginchy. Pte. Jebby felt he could not possibly have survived. The letter states that this confirms an earlier report from a 'Kennedy'. Pte Jebby could not confirm that Peter Whelan had been buried. The family spoke about him and often mentioned his name. He was known to me as 'Uncle Peter who was killed in the war.' His name appears on the Thiepval Memorial in France. || || Death of Peter Whelan || Letter || Confirmation letter of death of Peter Whelan || || Peter Whelan's British War Medal || Medal || British War Medal - Peter Whelan || || British War Medal - reverse || Medal || Peter Whelan's British War Medal, reverse || || Medal || Peter Whelan's Victory Medal || Victory Medal - Peter Whelan || || Victory Medal, reverse - Peter Whelan || Medal || Peter Whelan's Victory Medal, reverse || || Peter Whelan's Death Plaque || Death plaque - Peter Whelan || Medal

My uncle Edward Whelan 1897 - 1935 from Dublin, Ireland, joined the British Royal Flying Corps 1914-1918 (which later became the RAF) as a reconnaissance photographer or possibly more correctly called an Air Observer. I do not know exactly when he enlisted but given his probable date of birth of 1897, it may have been at the start of the war. He was about 16 years older than my father (his brother) and information about him is very limited as he was the oldest in the family. I was told that he married but did not have any children. Family photographs show him in formal uniform with Royal Flying Corps visible on the upper sleeve of his great coat. There are two other photos of him, one in military uniform but no insignia and one of him casually sitting on the steps of a military carriage/mobile office. The back of the latter photo is inscribed Russia. I have not been able to find any military records for him and these photos are the only records I have of his involvement in WWI. It would be nice to be able to trace records of his involvement or to learn more about how many Irish men joined the RFC. My father said that Eddie was a keen photographer and passed on this interest to my Dad. Eddie died from TB and was buried on Christmas Eve 1935. || Photograph x 3 of Edward Whelan in the Royal Flying Corps uniform. || || Edward Whelan RFC uniform || Edward Whelan Royal Flying Corps || Photograph || || My uncle Edward Whelan Royal Flying Corps || Edward Whelan || Photograph || || Rear of this photo says Russia. || Edward Whelan Royal Flying Corps || Edward Whelan || Photograph